Tag: Mindanao sakadas

Three months after being rescued from Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, Bukidnon-based migratory cane cutters—more commonly known as sakadas—filed their third labor exploitation complaint March 20, against recruiter Greenhand Labor Service Cooperative (GLSC) and principal employer Agrikulto Inc.

The 17 sakadas filed their most recent formal complaint at the National Labor Relations Commission Regional Arbitration Board (NLRCB) in San Fernando, Pampanga, while their first two filed in the Cagayan de Oro city branch of NLRCB two months ago.

National progressive group Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) rescued and brought the sakadas to the Department of Agrarian Reform in Quezon City after traveling from Tarlac.

The sakadas were all recruited from Brgy. Pangantucan in Bukidnon Province. The recruiter rented a bus to bring all the sakadas to Hacienda Luisita in November 2016.

A few weeks into their five-month work contract, the sakadas escaped Brgy. Mapalacsiao in Tarlac City after suffering from exploitation under the hands of their recruiter in the 6453-hectare hacienda.

‘Tarlac package’

According to UMA, Cojuangco-led firm Agrikulto requested recruitment agency Greenhand Labor Service Inc. to produce around 1,000 cane cutters to work in Hacienda Luisita.

Currently, Agrikulto Inc., a Filipino company that farms and markets sugarcanes and leases land for these purposes, is the biggest owner of the illicit leaseback system in Hacienda Luisita. A leaseback is an arrangement where the buyer of a property leases it back to the seller.

On a normal day, sakadas earn P200 a day for their labor in Mindanao. They also had to pay for their own food, provide food for their own families, and transportation.

Parang ‘selda’

Sakadas coming from different provinces including Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Koronadal, Pampanga and South Cotabato arrived in batches in Tarlac.

They stayed in poorly-ventilated, constrained compounds they described as “selda,” with windows obstructed with metal bars. Their compound was located near the sugar mill Central Azucarera de Tarlac.

They had to endure the heat, bad smell coming from the main plantation and poor facilities. They were guarded with armed security men and were not allowed to leave at night. The sakadas slept on the floor with only carton sheets. “Nung nag-umpisa na kaming magtrabaho eh walang tubig kasi malayo yung pinagtrabahuhan namin tsaka yung pagkain, kaunti lang. Kaya yung iba, medyo nagkasakit na dahil sa sobrang init at sobrang pagod,” Prayon said.

There were many nights when they had to make do with what little amount of food that they were given.“Sampu kami, isang kilo lang ibibigay sa isang grupo. Tapos limang piraso ng sardinas, tapos, limang pirasong noodles. Hindi naman magkakasya ‘yun,” another sakada, Bernie Caha said.

They said they were also forced to work from 4 a.m. until 5 p.m. even with empty stomachs. For their labor, the agency only provided panapas or bolo used to cut canes.

These conditions led to the cane cutters suffering coughs, fever and colds, which eventually left one dead.

Based on the payrolls UMA reported, the sakadas received weekly wages from P 66.21 to P 898.20 a week, which ranges from P 9.46 to P 128.31 per day. In Central Luzon, the supposed minimum wage for plantation agricultural workers is P 334 a day.

Based on UMA’s consolidated reports, cutting and hauling cane costs P220 per ton. Victims were also given a quota of 18 tons a day which is physically impossible for a 8-13 team of cane cutters given the additional work of hauling canes.

On the night of Dec. 25 last year, the sakadas left the compound while the others were enjoying a small party prepared by GLSC. Unnoticed, one sakada jumped at the opposite side of the wall to gather all their bags while the rest told the guards about buying cigarettes.